Heartleaf Creek 'til there are no stars anymore

AW, but special mentions for @Vayko @Andrey @Clover and @Sharlee if they would like!
Sunset, Light Snow, 17.6F/-8C

You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr

Viorel was mostly pleased with the weather today, the short cold streak had broken and with it had come a light dusting of snow. He didn’t mind when the snow was coming down like this, and while he wouldn’t admit it to his cousin or brother he almost thought it was kind of pretty. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to scope out the area a little more and map out their future plans. Ever since his conversation with Vayko it was practically all the teen could think about, come March they would be kings in their own right. Now all that was left to do was figure out where their kingdom was going to be.

The Valle teen had taken to wandering around near the creek, theoretically because having easy access to water would be important, and because he just liked the sound of the flow. He had been following all of the small off shoots looking for something a little more inconspicuous than being directly on the main part of the small river and had almost been ready to give up for the day when he stumbled upon the perfect spot. What had once been a portion of the creek had been blocked off by a fallen empress tree, creating a backwater. While the rest of the creek still bubbled along even in the worst of the winter, this portion was frozen still. The trees here had at one point fallen to some disease and many of them littered the ground, creating a clear view of the sky. This looked like exactly what he wanted.

Lifting his muzzle Viorel called for his cousin, he thought he had found them their home.

Isn't it amazing anything's accomplished?

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko was calmer now. To say his conversation with his cousin had helped him tone down his attitude a bit, particularly where the new girl was involved, was an understatement. Co-leader. It had a nice ring to it, an equal playing field. He would figure this out slowly. They would take up their own mantles, and they would do what their grandmother failed to do: lead. With her failing age, it had been difficult for Vayko to see her as anything other than an old kook who needed to be removed. His mother needed to be in her place, a thought that he had never dared to voice aloud. There were some things he just didn’t say.

He heard his cousin’s call, eyes flashing in the general direction before he broke into a run, eager to see what had been discovered. He was also the first to arrive, the sun hitting the ground as it lit the snowflakes with soft orange hues, his eyes widening slightly as he glanced around. He arrived with a halt, not saying anything at first as he took in the sight. “You called?” He asked as he looked around, not seeing any reason in particular. He breathed in the scents, thinking maybe he had called about food, but he couldn’t taste a herd on the air either.

Sharlee missed the Estuary but she knew that there was nothing that could be done about that. She'd been sticking close to the home base that her brother had set up. She was glad that she didn't have to go through this all alone. Until she felt more comfortable she didn't think it wise to be wandering off. Thankfully the effects of the bite were completely gone and she felt like her oldest again. 

The Valle girl had decided to do some hunting in the area. She knew everyone would be hungry later and they would need food. It actually felt nice to be getting back to more normal tasks and for a little bit she could almost forget that she wasn't at home. 

She hadn't had much luck when she heard the call of her cousin. That was fine because she was curious about why he was calling. So she hurried to where it had come from. When she got there she found that Vayko had already beat her. She moved next to him bumping his shoulder as she came to stand next to him. "You mustn't keep us in suspense cousin," she teased.

(This post was last modified: Jan 19, 2021, 11:19 PM by Vayko. Edit Reason: bolds were not working )

Clover had been wandering through the forest, nose on alert for the scent of any prey, but mostly focused on simply learning her surroundings. The snow made it difficult to know which way was which, but she was quickly learning the lay of the land, even though most of it was forest with some creeks snaking through. Her attention was pulled from the forest when she heard a howl, ears pricked and body turned to where it had come from. She could afford to take a break and see what was up with Viorel.

Her paws took her in a winding path through the trees, finding some difficulty when the snow got thick but managing to make her way over to him without too much delay. Her journey took her along the creek, and she paused upon seeing three wolves ahead of her next to a fallen tree that blocked the flow of the creek. She recognised Viorel and Vayko, but the very large dark tawny female was unfamiliar, however it seemed she knew them from her position next to Vayko. She moved off to the side so she was in sight but not right up next to the other wolves, still feeling a little unsure of her place among the group.

You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr

His companions didn’t keep him waiting long, though he had expected a little more enthusiasm when they arrived. Viorel had kind of thought that they would have the same clicking feeling that he did when he stumbled upon the little area. The frozen stream, the fallen trees that surrounded it, but the semi dense woods that still offered protection from the weather and winds. Could they not see what he could see?

The teasing tone of Sharlee was met with an enthusiastic tail wag, he had seen her around hanging out with Vayko but he hadn’t had a chance to have a real conversation with her yet. The enthusiasm dipped slightly when he saw Clover side step everyone, and more pointedly his own brother’s absence. Moving to stand next to the white woman in an attempt to coax her forward a little his brow furrowed, ”Has anyone seen Andrey?” Come to think of it, it had been a few days since he had seen his dark twin around.

Shaking this thought to the side for a moment, Viorel gestured with his tail at their surroundings. ”Vayko I think I’ve found it. The place where we can lead, our stronghold.” Sure, they had said it would be temporary, but deep in his heart the Valle knew if they managed to make this pack work, it would be hard to make either of them step down.

Isn't it amazing anything's accomplished?

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko could not help the soft grin that lit his features as he saw his sister follow close behind him. He lightly bumped her shoulder back, a soft snort at her tease as he raised an eyebrow at Viorel, waiting to hear just what he had in store. Clover arrived shortly after. “Sharlee, this is Clover. She’s a healer.” He made the introduction quick. “Clover, this is my sister, Sharlee Valle.” It was best everyone know who each other was now that his temperament had settled down quite a bit, after all.

He nodded with a soft frown as Viorel asked about the location of his brother. “Seen? No. He said he was going to scope out some lands east of here, and that he would be gone for a few days.” He offered up, at least having a vague idea of where he was. He’d been absent, and if he were absent for a few days more then Vayko could start to worry, but for now, he was content to just let his cousin do as he wished.

He looked around again at the words, finding a sense of pride and contentment with the language used. We. He would lead here. They both would. It was, perhaps, a little unorthodox, but he also felt it was perfect. He glanced around, truly taking in the surroundings that had been mere background before. The fallen empress tree marked it’s defining feature, a nod on his features. “I agree.” He hummed with a toothy grin. “I reckon the herds will be strong around this area come spring as well.” He was quite pleased with his cousin’s find and he wasn’t hiding it.

Sharlee was happy to finally see her cousin Viorel. Sure she'd seen him in passing but that just wasn't the same as him standing right in front of her. He accepted her teasing with a wagging tail. She could also see that he'd made it through the ordeal without harm, that was a relief. 

Her gaze landed on the unfamiliar wolf as soon as she appeared. This confused the Valle girl. She didn't understand what a stranger was doing there since Vayko had said everyone not related was an enemy. It was clear that perhaps she was Viorel's friend with the way he moved next to her. Then her brother was talking introducing them. The Stranger who she learned was named Clover and she was a healer. That could certainly come in handy. "Its nice to meet you Clover. Maybe we can get better acquainted later?"

For now it seemed that Viorel really did have a reason to call them. First he wanted to know about his brother, Sharlee shook her head and Vayko had an answer. Neither had seen him. After that her cousin jumped right onto it. 'A place to LEAD their stronghold'. Sharlee didn't know what to think about that. "What's he talking about?" She whispered into her brother's ear. She suddenly felt like she'd missed something. 

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2021, 05:29 AM by Sharlee.)

She was gratified when Viorel moved to stand beside her, the action raising her spirits just a little and giving her the confidence to step a little closer to Vayko and the other female so as to not seen standoffish and rude. Clover dipped her head in greeting when Vayko introduced her to Sharlee, a smile on her face at the other girl's friendly introduction. "And likewise to you." Her words were soft, but with a hopeful tone. It seemed like they would get along well. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!"

Her gaze shifted to Viorel, head shaking from side to side. She had not directly interacted with him since their first meeting, and had been too busy with her own daily activities to notice his recent disappearance. However it seemed Vayko knew where he was, so at the very least him not being there was not an immediate cause for concern. But Viorel clearly had more than just asking about Andrey's whereabouts on his mind, as evident by the short spiel he gave about having found a place him and Vayko could... lead from.

Clover looked between the three wolves, noting how Sharlee seemed surprised but the two boys were confidently speaking, as if this had been their plan. She had been happy using the clearing as a sort of home base, but the thought of having a home, well, it got her a little excited. Her tail wagged behind her as she grinned at Viorel, already thinking about where she could dig out a small den to keep her herbal stock in so it would be safe from the elements. But she kept silent, not knowing if her thoughts on the matter would be welcomed by everyone. She knew she was the outsider in the group, and did not want to step beyond any figurative boundaries until she had become better acquainted with everyone.

Final round!

You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr

Viorel wanted to smack himself in the head when Vayko introduced Clover and Sharlee, how could he have forgotten that the two of them probably hadn’t met? Oh well, it didn’t really matter, and from the looks of it at least this introduction was going well. Much better than when the woman had met the boys anyways. Smiling softly as the two interacted, the dark tail swished gently behind his haunches, yellow eyes lifting to meet Vayko’s in approval.

The dark teen puffed up slightly as his cousin voiced his appreciation of the area, this could very well be their new home. The comment about the herds was met with a nod, ”It’s covered enough we won’t have to worry about the weather, but open enough I think that food should be plentiful.” Maybe not the salt fight they were used to, but there could always be fresh fish from the stream.

Sharlee’s voice caught his attention, though it was low enough he couldn’t make out what she was saying. The whisper had not been directed his way, and so he could only hold his smile for pretenses, though he shot Vayko a curious look. They would have to have a chat following the meeting, and hopefully soon he could catch up with his female cousin. He was sure there was a lot to talk about. Looking to Clover who had been silent he was pleased to see her grin and tail wag, ”So, are we all in agreement then?”

Isn't it amazing anything's accomplished?

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko was not certain if his cousin had merely forgotten the lack of interaction between his sister and the woman that Vayko still in his own mind referred to as ‘the floozy’ or if he was simply having a moment of cobwebs for brains, but either way it did not matter because he had swooped in and saved the day as he had a habit of doing. A toothy grin lit his features as Viorel continued to speak, a nod of agreement to show his contentment though he did not offer any more words. Contrary to popular belief, he was capable of keeping his mouth shut when he wanted to. “Have you scouted out any possible den locations yet?” If not, Vayko was certain he would learn the territory like the back of his paw in the coming weeks. They had some time yet before Viorel, and later himself, reached the cusp of adulthood, a marking that would make the eligible.

Sharlee’s question came to his ears and his along, glancing at her as he dropped his breath. “An amazing opportunity is what he’s talking about.” He answered, admittedly rather vaguely before he delved into an answer. “We’re gonna start our own pack, away from the Estuary with the stupid council, where Viorel and I can make the rules.” He explained again, his golden gaze locking onto his sister to gaze what her reaction might be.