Charred Ash Draw The big picture's in motion, are you playing your part?

It did not take long for not one but two pack wolves to make an appearance. At least these wolves were keeping a watchful eye on their borders. Valor observed them quietly, his tail twitching idly behind him as he listened to the rounder of the two greet them. She seemed genuinely curious as to why they were skulking along the pack borders and unfazed by their appearance. Maybe they were used to loners treading close to their borders with the abundance of coyotes littering the nearby territories. The second wolf to appear, however, did not looked pleased with the trio. He did not greet them and instead tucked his nose against the female’s ears and began whispering to her. How rude! Immediately the boy’s brows snapped together, a grimace cutting across his tawny maw and hardening his typically cheerful demeanour.

Procyon and Borya weren’t far behind, as usual. The former was quick to slide in a response as she sidled up next to Shrike, her tone cool and collected. Sometimes he wished he could sound as composed as the trash panda, instead of going off like a song bird. Borya remained quiet and stoic, but his narrowed expression said it all. None of them were pleased with the pack wolf’s rude display. Marianna had also made an appearance and Valor began to realize how not so good this looked. A group of six wolves hovering at a pack’s borders? It was a recipe for disaster and Valor was just along for the ride.

turn your face towards the sun

Let the shadows fall behind you

Treyah's brows twitched together minutely at Garmir's insistence something was wrong. There wasn't a lot in her life that was going right, but she hardly thought a group of wolves passing through a forest was wrong. It wasn't like the Draw had made a big deal about making their presence known beyond their own borders, and if others just happened to come knocking, well, it simply wasn't right to greet them with snarls and snapping teeth. It wasn't like they were vermin here to do them harm.

She wasn't sure what her parents initial intentions were for the pack, but that hardly mattered with both of them gone. Her siblings had all chosen to leave in turn, Maera was gone and Kerberos had given up his position as leader beside her, so, she supposed that made the pack hers, and if she was going to shape things moving forward, then she had to start somewhere.

Being rude to strangers simply wouldn't do.

Treyah wanted the Draw to be a safe place in an uncertain world, the gods knew it was needed with all those damn coyotes around. When one of the strangers spoke up, confirming what Treyah had supposed about them being harassed, she smiled, stepping past Garmir, her tail still waving welcomingly, a dark male continuing on to plead their case. "I've not gone far enough to figure out if they're just here or everywhere, but if our borders offer some protection to travellers, Garmir, it's really the least we can offer." Her voice had grown a little stern towards the end. If there was a way to help, they should do it. "Please, don't feel you have to rush off. I'm Treyah, I lead here. Do you plan to travel much further? Do you need a place to rest for the night?" They seemed nice enough to her, and maybe they would find themselves with new neighbours if their numbers were anything to go by. It couldn't hurt to get on good terms with them early on if that was the case.

Treyah would give birth any day now. This was a fact that Draven was sure of when he saw the movement in her swollen belly and the slight changes in her daily routines. It was all reminiscent of last year and yet, nothing the same. Most notably was that he and Neha had travelled for much of her pregnancy and he had been her only caregiver. This year the other males of the pack seem to swarm Treyah and the thought of it grated on the dark male’s nerves. Not that he was in any place to say such a thing. At least tenebrae didn’t seem to be trying to climb inside her womb and join the pups like the other men.

Draven had thought that maybe Treyah would like to take a stroll through the territory after he delivered her a fat hare but had found her den empty. After following her scent to the borders the dark Leigh had almost turned around when Garmir’s trail was clearly mingling with hers. But, he couldn’t let his personal annoyance get in the way of making sure the alpha was eating so he persisted. It was only the sound of voices, both familiar and stranger that sped his paws.

And what a scene he saw. Green eyes quickly moved from Garmir’s protective posturing to Treyah’s relaxed before travelling over the faces of the others. Mostly they were unremarkable except for being a large group on the edge of their borders. But, one stood out among the rest. Catching the end of Treyah’s statement was enough to embolden the thought forming in his head. Pressing forward he passed both the Draw wolves and placed the hare at Ari’s paws, ”Ari, what are you doing here?” Then, with a flick over his shoulder and slight smile on his ebony face he added, ”My sister.” It had been a year since he had even seen her and they weren’t always on the best terms but they were still blood. Green eyes moved from looking at Treyah to garmir, waiting for him to relax. Treyah was offering them a place to stay, and now he was aware that they were family.

Perhaps it was his unfortunate habit of assuming the worst, perhaps not. Six wolves lingering near the border was a telltale sign of impending raid at least where he came from, especially if one of them had sneaked behind the two pack wolves to intercept Garmir's whisper. But perhaps things here were different here at Relic Lore? Perhaps how he thought was not nessesery here. As Treyah begin to address the group - far more diplomatically of course, he did catch her hint to calm down a bit. Draven arrhiving and identifying one of the strangers as his sister finally made relax, even if he would not shed his supsicion right away.

"Forgive my.. deplorable manners... I seem to always assume the worst." -His eyes briefly moved to Procyon as he apologized although he generally addressed the whole group. Garmir then looked away, to not anyone particular, but keeping eyes on the situation at large. This was not his place to speak and thruth be told, Garmir lacked a bit on that not-being-rude-department to make him opening his mouth again risky.

The fact that one of the strangers was kin to Draven interested him and Garmir's ears listened carefully for coming conversation. He did not really care much for rest of the group other than for their numbers, besides the elder whom reminded Garmir of someone he had already met - someone he'd rather not spend much time remembering. Even the way he spoke and presented himself felt the same and it made Garmir's skin crawl. Had he not taken a good look at him, Garmir could have sworn Grievous had found his way to Charred Ash Draw. He'd almost prefer being raided rather than having to meet him again.

(This post was last modified: Jun 28, 2018, 12:48 AM by Garmir.)

All my characters are available for spree anytime with anyone. Just poke in slack or send PM!

The two groups of wolves seemed to be teetering on a precipice, though perhaps the smaller group did not know it yet. Shrike made their case and the alpha seemed amenable to their presence – something Procyon was pleased with, even if it was a bit foolish of her – but then the newest arrival mentioned something. He knew Ari. Sister? Brother?

Would this cause a problem?

She glanced at the large female with a raised brow – why hadn’t she said something about her brother being in this pack? Perhaps they could have had a free meal without all of this faffing about. But the damage was done. The female bit her tongue and withheld her withering sigh, instead glancing at Shrike for his decision on the matter.

“An evening of rest would not go amiss, though we are not yet at our final destination. I believe we are seeking to go further north still.”

That they didn’t have a specific place wasn’t important. It just wasn’t here – or at least, that’s what she thought.

Blah blah blah, the big bad leader types had a lot to say, and frankly, Ari toned most of it out. She’d long since learned to fall asleep with her eyes open (slightly glazed over, perhaps), and might have intended on just that while the politicians played her part when someone very familiar appeared from the charred forest.

“Draven?” she marveled, taking a step forward. She shook her head, as if that might make the ghost vanish – but no, there the dark man stood, as solid as herself or Shrike. What on earth…? She glanced from the offered food back up to her brother, puzzlement written clearly across her face. Emotions had never been the bear’s strong suit. And if she remembered currently, they hadn’t exactly…parted on the best terms. “I had-- Since when-- What?” Anyone looking closely enough could probably see the gears grinding between her ears, the smoke starting to billow up.

Ari gave up with a slightly bewildered laugh. “I’ll be damned.”

Most interaction is for @Draven.

 

A wild dissertation appears!