The Wildwood We know

Back dated to 11-11 because I am a trashcan. For @Treyah and @Draven specifically but AW! Also tagging @Cyril and @Ragnar so they can hop in. Please allow them to post first.

It was taking them longer than it would have been with just her, hell even if it had just been her and Ragnar. But, she wasn’t upset that they were with her. Both of them were two of the most important wolves in her life, and she wouldn’t rather brave the cold and snow with anyone else. The weather hadn’t been a blizzard just yet, thankfully, but she didn’t doubt that it would venture there before too long. For now, they would have to deal with the flurries nipping at their noses.

Finally, after three days travel, they reached their second destination. Charred Ash Draw. She could smell the borders as they neared, marked lighter than what theirs were kept but still clearly present. “Finally made it, guys!” she said, throwing a grin after her shoulder at the pair. They traveled further forward until they were several feet away from the borders themselves. She stood for a moment to collect her breath, giving her pelt a good shake to dislodge any stray snowflakes that may have landed. “Ready for the second go?” she asked, honeyed-amber gaze flickering between the pair before turning back forward. From there, she threw back her head and let loose a howl to call for the leaders of the Draw.

It was growing colder as the days passed, and the trio were soon greeted by some unexpected snow. Cyril was indifferent when it came to the weather, not preferring the warmth or the cold, but the appearance of snow meant that it would make travelling difficult. Especially with a cub alongside them. It would have been quicker if it had just been Adeltra, or maybe just the two of them, but he understood as to why the blonde Archer accompanied them. And why she had allowed him to join their quest even though he did not belong to the Ridge pack. There was strength in numbers and it meant there were more paws (and eyes) looking for the missing cubs. Cyril would often deter from the group, scouting beyond their path to see if he could pick up the scent of the missing cubs, but he always returned empty-pawed.

Not long after he had returned to the duo did they arrive at the borders of the Draw. Cyril did not have much experience with the pack, aside from his strange encounter with the earthen male. One he hoped he would not have to encounter again. He shifted, uncomfortably, as they stopped, his yellow gaze flitting over to his friend as she spoke. He offered her a small, encouraging smile before she tossed her nose to the sky, beckoning the leaders of the Draw forward.

turn your face towards the sun

The Draw was peaceful, and it was more than she could have hoped for after the turmoil of her rise to leadership. She was happily watching over her children's attempts at hunting, trying to mask her smiles when they collided or tripped over their rapidly growing feet. She wasn't sure they would ever quite grow into those massive paws, but she wouldn't tell them that. It was bittersweet to think they were small enough for her to scoop up and carry only a few short months ago.

Visitors weren't common, so it took a moment for the strangers call to register. Her brows pulled together momentarily before she rose and made her way towards the strangers, she could see two, but smelled three, and maintained the welcoming wave of her tail as she approached. There was something familiar in the scent, but it had been so long she almost failed to place it, but it would seem wherever these wolves were from her brother was too. So settling down hadn't been his problem at all, it was just settling down with her then. She'd be lying if she tried to convince herself it didn't hurt.

"What brings you to the Draw?" She finally settled on with a smile."I'm afraid we don't get out much, how are things at the Willows?"

Let the shadows fall behind you

The adventure was more then Ragnar could have ever hoped for even though the reasoning for the trip was with poor news. The pups of Sven and Leotie had gone off on their own without offering word to abuse of the other packages in their wake. Though Ragnar knew it was he and Freyja which shared the same womb, Scully and Avella were just as equally siblings to him in his eyes. Either way, they were all family as he learned the majority of the pack shared the same blood in one way or another. Ragnar missed his siblings... The beauty and gentleness of Avella, the rough and tumble with Scully even though as of late (after his father's attack) he had grown more dour 'emo' as it were. Still, finally seeing beyond the borders of his home for the first time (besides just down to the Fireweed Rise) left him filled with both excitement and amazement.

The world beyond was both beautiful and unpleasant, harsh and enlightened. They had first traveled along the stretch of Drooping Willows, sticking into the edges of where the open Hush Meadow lie and up and around the Lagoon. It was the largest body of water Ragnar had ever seen in his life. It amazed him and he had fun splat and swimming in it too! After meeting some of his family in the Scowle they traveled up through the Marsh. It was not his favored place. The land was mushy, the water keeping his paws cold. Moving through the Drowned Wood, the trees were pale and dead and wading through the cold water made traveling hard, made picking up a trail even worse... He would avoid ever bothering to come here again now, he knew, lest he had a reason to practice fishing.

Moving upward into the Wildwoods they were able to hit solid ground again. Once more the trio were able to branch out a bit from one another, sniffing for signs of their missing brethren. It took longer pausing to do this but it covered more ground as opposed to a straight walk form one pack to another. Here alot of the trees seemed broken or fallen. Unknowingly long ago a fire had raged here and now rebirth had left less towering trees but more brush, Fern and mosses over logs. There was a lot of places to search, sniff, and play. By now too there was a layer of snow on the ground, the weather growing colder. Ragnar found himself not only not minding it, but enjoying it. The air was so cool and crisp, fresh.

Bounding to the borders Now and shaking out his coat to mimic his 'eldest sister', he took place opposite side of Cyril. He gave Adeltra a sharp nod, scruffy muzzle lifting to sniff the borders and wait out those to come. First to arrive was a female and though she did not yet introduce herself she was not impolite. "Hello." He spoke though due bot answer her question, leaving this up to Adeltra instead as head of this mission.