Drooping Willows Unchained

For the Carrion Crew aka: @Arial @Procyon @Borya @Pilea @Anakh
Takes place a few hours walk from WR

Shrike had waited long enough. He wasn't a patient or kind man, he wasn't going to sit on his haunches and wait for the other's to come to him in their own time. No, he would demand their attention, force them to do his biding, and if they chose not to? Got all lippy and demanding? Then they were of no use to him, he'd tear into them like he'd done with all the rest. No one, not even his offspring, were exempt from his tried and tested methods. They were all cogs in Shrike's machine and it was about time he got it started.

Tipping his head skyward, the Big Boss let out a long and brazen call.

And then he waited, his nails pressed down into the dirt as his critical gaze lingered on the willow trees that were seemingly pandemic to this area. From scent alone he could tell that a pack wasn't so far from here, so in all likelihood they heard his call. But he didn't care, it wasn't for their ears and if they truly wanted him and his crew gone well..Too bad, the more someone tried to shove him away the more he wanted to remain, out of spite. Because he could.

It made her tired, all this traveling. Not, like, physically – because nothing made Ari Leigh physically tired – okay there was that one thing but, fine, almost nothing made Ari Leigh physically tired -- but it didn’t give her the same thrill it used to, zigging and zagging all across the forest. It wasn’t like she was old (like, at all), and it wasn’t like she was domesticated or anything (she’d left a few things with Gent for safe-keeping, but then she’d be back again). Maybe it was just this group.

It just didn’t have the same…she wasn’t sure, really. Couldn’t put a paw on the word. She was here because Shrike had asked, though, not because it was a good idea.

The large female rolled up behind the dark male, throwing her shoulder against his haunches in a gentle shove. The fist (the other fist) was here – she didn’t see her counterpart, yet. Pale eyes glanced over, ears pricked lazily. “You see? Told you I’d be good on it. And the forest ain’t half bad.” The large wolf rumbled deep in her chest. “You don’t look half bad, boss.” It’d been a few months, but here Ari was, on time, just like she said. Didn’t even get lost on the way, this time.

 

A wild dissertation appears!

They had not done much moving since they arrived in Lore. Valor had kept himself busy, meandering through the various territories and evading coyotes, but he had still remained in the south. His father was planning something and had urged the group to stay close while they scouted. The tawny youth didn’t care much for the plans, even though he knew he should, but listened regardless. Mostly to appease his sister, who would likely drag him by the tail even if he tried to vacate the area.

The call earned a perplexed expression from the boy as he sauntered through the trees, his tail swaying gently behind him as a carefree expression tumbled onto his tawny features. Now what was that about? His nose twitched. His ebony father was calling for the whole group—why? Curiosity (and the desire to be a good son) drove him forward, his over-sized paws thudding against the forest floor. They were close to the same borders that he and Courage had investigated a few days earlier … huh. Surely it was coincidental...

He arrived at the scene with his cherry tongue hanging from the side of his mouth and his tail swaying behind him. Sup? He greeted as he flashed his stoic father a wide, toothy grin.

You realize that two coyotes have been following you.

WARNING: Pilea posts often are full of curse.

Pilea had not been doing much with herself. She had simply been scouting out parts of this southern territory, avoiding the coyote if not chasing them off and keeping a look out more or less for Valor. She was waiting for a move from her lead and the woman was not exactly a patient woman but did so wait anyhow. After all, what else did she have to do? After leaving her home among her family to seek out revenge on her niece, Pilea had never gone back to her Ritter home. She was a roamer, a vagabond and would remain so till the end of her days as far as she was concerned. A hard life and it showed in her.

Her yellow eyes narrowed upon the Willow forestry as she made way to get Bosses call. The sneer of her expression never easing. When she joined the forming group she stood off to the side of Valor, offering a dip of her head to Shrike in greeting. Nearby two coyote watched curiously. "Sure is a lot of fucking coy 'round this forest." She spat as she barred her teeth at the vermin.

(This post was last modified: May 17, 2018, 06:05 PM by Pilea.)

Fault lines tremble underneath my glass house

Courage followed not too far behind her brother. She simply wanted to make sure he didn’t get lost ‘adventuring’ this time around. They were all gathering, and she’d be damned if he missed this. Thankfully enough, Valor seemed to notice the close eye she was keeping on him and stayed with the group. For once in his life. She mused to herself as she huffed. That was when she caught the scent of the coyotes on the wind, her head turning, ears flattening in frustration as she growled softly, eyes narrowing at what could very well be her next victim.

“They’re fucking annoying is what they are.” She commented after Pilea noted the larger populations of mangy creatures nearby. She felt a small measure of pride in her scouting work that had led them to all gather in the very territory she’d made Valor scout with her. “They need to be taught a lesson… thinking they’re so great that they can challenge us when they’re nothing but a bunch of mangy, stupid poachers.”

Remaining south and close to the boss, Borya took in the lay of the land like a robber learning what time the house was vacant. He made sure to keep an eye out for any vacuous vermin in case he had to teach them proper manners around a wolf. They had no business acting like they owned the place. It will surely get them killed around the carrion crew. None of them traveled far alone. Not being far from the commander when he called, the fist was quick to join the band the began to regroup.

They weren't far from another pack, the breeze bringing their scent towards them. Surely, Shrike took note and would alert them of his next move. Sliding up next to his counterpart, giving her a rough nudge with his shoulder against hers as his ears pricked towards the trailing vermin. Scuffing at the yearling's remarks, his sharp amber eyes glanced towards the raven leader. "Vermin seem to be asking for it today." Oh, how he'd love to get his paws bloody with these ones.

NOTE! Borya is currently traveling with Carrion Crew
-- so any/all of them can be in any thread with him fyi! --

Shrike wasn't yet entirely convinced of this lands promise. Ari could sing it's praise as much as she pleased, he wanted to see it's riches with his own eyes. Her compliments summoned a sharp smile on Shrike's lips. Of course he looked good, had there ever been a moment where he hadn't? No way. It came as no surprise that his underlings trickled in one by one, they had been shadowing him for weeks now-just as he had told them too. Only now it was time to wriggle out of the woodwork.

Apparently the local mutts had the same idea too.

"Looks like we have a welcoming party." Shrike announced, turning to face their new adversaries. There were only a couple of coyotes. Would they scamper off, with their tail between their legs, or would they stand a fight? Stand and die. "There's only two of them, someone show them off, would you?" He asked, his voice dripping with apathy.

For the time being he didn't care too much- though later he would soon realise they were far more present than he thought. He had other matters he wanted to tend to, mostly to lay out their game plan.

"Anyway, as I was about to say. Everyone knows why we're here, yes?"

All members of the Carrion Crew are welcome to join Shrike's threads at any time.

Show them off.

If that wasn’t Ari’s cue, it should have been. The large female’s mouth curled upwards into an amused grin, the tip of her tail ticking from side to side. She hadn’t missed Shrike’s smile, nor his lack of vocal affirmation – a change. But she had changed, too, had been away. And if she was a sniveling female who begged and needed to be noticed at every last turn, well – she wouldn’t have been much better than either of her brothers. (Sorry, not sorry, boys.)

She threw her shoulder back into Borya’s in greeting – and then again, a rough attempt to start steering the man towards the coyote pair. “Eh, they’d have to be real dumb t’push a fight,” she replied, tail flagging over her haunches as she trotted towards them. A growl grew in her throat. They were massive, the pair of them – plus the rest of their wandering band? Pshh.

The coyotes, still distant, seemed to have noticed the wolves turning back on them and came to a sudden halt, uncertain. Ari laughed. Yeah, no way they’ll stick.

@Borya

(This post was last modified: Jun 25, 2018, 07:29 PM by Marianna.)

 

A wild dissertation appears!

He remained where he was as his father instructed for a member (or two) of their group to shoo off the uninvited coyotes. He’d already dealt with his fair share of coyotes and he wasn’t interested in fighting off another pair. Not when there were important things to tend to. Like why they had all gathered beneath the sloping willows. As usual the energetic yearling was blissfully unaware to his father’s plans. Or, if he was aware, he did not pay them much attention. He was just along for the ride and enjoying the festivities. The group’s resident cheerleader, or hype man. 

His sister was quick to chime in her opinions about the coyotes. While Valor shared similar thoughts he, for once, kept them to himself. His tongue clucked against the roof of his mouth in agreement as he flashed his sister a coy smile, his tail sweeping gently behind him. But his lips remained pinched tight as he turned back to the ebony shape of his father, his amber pools narrowed. The boy nodded softly in response even though he wasn’t quite sure why they had gathered, but he wasn’t about to admit that infant of the Carrion Crew. Not if he wanted to keep his tail attached to his body.