Wild Cherry Orchard they both met in the midnight sky

@Adelard @Aubine @Huddy @Saga @Rhaegara ^^ Set immediately after this thread.
Please let Adelard go first, and then it's anybody's game c:

They were fortunate that the moon wasn't waning - or, maybe Riven was lucky. It wasn't pitch darkness, and he could see where he was going relatively well. Of course, it also helped that Adelard was leading the way, and he was quite large and hard to lose, even in the darkness. He stuck close - not touching, but close enough to be able to hide behind him if absolutely necessary. Riv wouldn't say that he was afraid of the dark, but there was a reason that he only traveled during the daytime. He liked to be able to see everything around him, and not being able to do that was anxiety-inducing, to say the least.

It truly did not take them long to reach the others. And, judging by the scents, there were more than Riven had initially planned for. Still, he tried not to let it show in his expression or body language that he was outright terrified. For all that he'd enjoyed his conversation with Adelard, he still was technically a stranger, and this could end up being pretty bad, if these guys decided that he'd make a better meal than a doctor.

Riven took a deeper breath and steeled himself, looking over at Adelard to wait for the larger male to call for his companions. It would probably be a little shocking to have a stranger speak to them in the middle of the night, with no warning. Probably better to just let the dark man take the reigns for now.

January 14th; Nightfall; Brisk and cool

As Adelard led his newfound friend through the trees and back towards where the others had settled, he began to consider in his head all the outcomes of Riven's inclusion... or exclusion. Usually the pessimist, he decided for once that the arrival of another wolf meant that the possibility of a pack was actually feasible. Winter was not over yet, and the six of them were all needing something just to get by - company, food, shelter (or the warmth of another to fight off the cold)...

His head craned down to sniff at the forest floor just to confirm that the footprints he was walking over were his or one of his companions'. His sister had recently traced over the trail, perhaps to try and follow him, but as far as he knew, he and Riven entered this sort of hallowed space on their own.

Hello, he barked out in the darkness of night, the scent of the freshly-hunted caribou still faintly in the air. Hopefully they weren't all asleep yet. Aubine? The second 'word' was a funny woof-growl sort of sound, almost as if he were calling solely to his littermate. He waited a while before finally letting out a stifled howl. This one was universal sound, a short call usually meant to announce his presence, as well as keep other pack mates abreast of current happenings. "Sága? Hudson? Rhaegara? I've... brought someone I'd like you to meet."

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

Hudson had been laying with Sága tucked up against his side, her breath light and feathery as she slept. He kept his eyes peeled, looking around them for danger as he’d volunteered to keep watch while the rest of them slept. They’d didn’t sleep in one big huddle, but they weren’t as quite as far away from each other as he’d initially figured they would be. It would take a bit of getting used to to have this many unfamiliar wolves around him. He still felt like he needed to watch over his shoulder instinctively, even though he wouldn’t have elected to let them stay around if he had any inkling they meant him or Sága any harm.

The sound of a pair of pawsteps alerted him to the pair approaching, recognizing the low rumble of a growl followed by the howl as Adelard. The howl called for them to come meet someone and Hudson raised his brows. Dipping his muzzle he nudged his nose against the pale woman’s side, trying to rouse her from her slumber. Once he saw her pear-colored gaze blink open blearily he got to his paws and headed in the direction of Adelard and the wolf he wanted to introduce to them.

The sight that came before him wasn’t one he expected. A young blonde male of dainty build stuck out like a dwarf at the man’s large, dark side. “Th’ way you were hollerin’ I figured you were bringin’ back a lady friend, seems it was just another stray though,” he said with a yawn, fog pouring from his mouth from his warm breath meeting the cold air. His hueless gaze turned to the youth at the man’s side, sizing him up for a moment before introducing himself. “Th’ name’s Hudson Macieo. What’s yer name, kiddo?” The kid was tiny and wouldn’t provide much help with hunting, but he didn’t think Adelard would be one to bring baggage to tag along with them, so what did he have to offer?

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

Adelard's howl echoed through her dream, pushing her further towards consciousness, but it was Hudson's nudge that finally stirred her awake. Bleary-eyed, she watched as the inky man stood, and began walking to.. well, she wasn't really sure. Taking no more than a second to blink the sleep from her eyes, the Tainn moved to follow.

Her nose caught on before she did, tasting the air to find Adelard accompanied by a stranger. Russet-tipped ears shifted, sitting at attention high atop her crown as her tail rose about an inch. It was hard not to be at least a little paranoid, having been woken up in the middle of the night to meet a stranger, brought to them by a wolf they had only just met, but she shook it off as best she could.

The sight they came upon was altogether unexpected, as Adelard stood with a small yearling, fair-pelted, and light-eyed. He seemed to be alone, as there weren't any other heavy scents on his coat. A tinge of relief echoed through her posture as her ears settled, and her tail fell back into a neutral position. Hudson spoke, and her gaze flickered between him, Adelard, and the youth. She would wait for the blonde stranger to offer up his own name in response, and if he did, she would offer her's as well.

Sága is currently travelling with Huddy, Aubine, Adelard, Rhaegara, Riven, Maugrim & Hrun

Rhaegara felt a sense of awkwardness around her companions. Saga and Huddy had been travelling together before she’d met either of them, and thus stood at a disadvantage at that front, and then she had been travelling with Adelard but she had not known him nearly as long as his own sister had. There was a part of her that felt like a strange outsider, welcomed but not quite meshing well with the rest of the group. She knew it would be rash to act on such thoughts and feelings now, so she could only give it time and see how things progressed. She was almost certain she was just getting inside of her head.

She heard Adelard’s call, rising from where she had laid resting as she trotted in his direction, eyes falling on a young boy. She returned a soft smile, head tilted to the side curiously wondering who he was and what he was doing here. She remained silent as well, lingering a few paces behind Huddy as he introduced himself. She offered no response just yet, figuring she would wait until the rest of the group offered up their own introductions to grace them with hers as well.

This was so much scarier than Riven had initially imagined it being. It took every single ounce of control that he held within his body to keep from trembling as three new wolves approached - it was now that would be decided, whether he was food or friend. But, fortunately, the encounter did not immediately proceed in that direction. Two women and a man - the former two did not speak, but instead watched him, eyes in sets of light jade and bright copper. The man was dark, grizzled, and much older than them - not quite an elder, but just as deserving of respect. Blue eyes cast away from silver, and he lowered his head slightly. Not necessarily in submission, but certainly an appeasement.

And then he spoke, and Riv blinked back up at him. His accent was different from anything Riven had ever heard before - it held a sort of melody that the Torres wolves lacked in their proper speech. There was personality in his voice, and Riv almost missed the fact the lady friend part. His cheeks heated beneath his fur and he glanced briefly at Adelard. That wasn't how it was, right? Perhaps the comparison wasn't entirely disparate in that Riv was smaller, daintier than most females. But surely he'd rather be bringing back a lady friend.

But then the other man - Hudson, Riven supplied - referred to him as a stray. That one was far more apt. Removed from his home pack and left to fend for himself? Certainly sounded like a stray to him.

"My name is Riven, sir," he told the man, then glanced at the two women - who still hadn't spoken - and back again. "I'm a healer. I've been trained for most of my life, and I was hoping that you all might have some use for me." Because it would certainly be much safer for him, to be in a gang of individuals rather than alone. Riv was beginning to think wolves might not eat him, but there were things out there that could. “I’m sorry to wake all of you,” he tacked on sheepishly.

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2021, 06:41 AM by Riven.)

One by one, they appeared in the night before him and Riven. A part of him made a mental note to apologize for waking them (and, he assumed that he had). He wanted to play it safe, though; he didn't want any of them waking in the morning or, goodness forbid, in the middle of the night to some sleeping stranger in their midst. At Riven's side, he stood still, a solid buffer of sorts should the smaller man need {physical} support. His yellow eyes swept about as Hudson, Saga and Rhaegara looked his companion over. Aubine was probably already asleep; he would have to introduce them in the morning.

Adelard's tail gave a low wag as Hudson and Riven exchanged a few words. There was no goading or encouragement needed; they were all grown wolves here. "I was just taking a quick walk," he quietly explained. "And, there he was... out by the tallest tree by himself." He glanced at Hudson, then Saga, "You mentioned having others were beneficial." A small smile, "I mean, I can't contribute much apart from valiance but, Riven, here, knows much about plants." Y'know, he had wanted to tack on in a chummy manner, Those green things... But, he chose not to. They were all still just getting to know one another...

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

Sága and Rhaegara were quick to trail behind him and his gaze scanned for signs of Aubine, but after a few moments he dubbed it likely she was still snoozing. It was, after all, well into the night. Neither of the women seemed to deem it necessary to speak, probably because he’d posed the question they all already wondered. At Hudson’s presence, the kid seemed to...not quite cower, but he did lower himself slightly. The dominant part of the salt-and-pepper man felt pleased, but he was quick to push it aside. He was no monarch and never had been, he hadn’t even been born into a formal pack. His upbringing had consisted entirely of a band of his immediate family; his grandparents, his parents, his aunts, and his siblings. Everything he knew of packs was innate, coming from the most primal parts of his instincts, but even then it was a poor excuse.

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

The Macieo man’s plush, winter-clad ears swiveled forward as the newcomer spoke, giving his name, Riven, before going so far as to call him sir. He wasted no time jumping into what he could bring to the table for the wayward band, that thing being something they certainly sorely needed; a healer. His brows rose and he looked to Adelard, wondering how he’d managed to find such a prize in the dead of night. Apparently, the other male explained, just by taking a quick walk.

He hummed deep in his chest as he looked at Riven, silver meeting blue before he gave a sharp bob of his head. “Well, I certainly ain’t gonna turn yuh away. Can’t say I myself could spot the difference b’tween nightshade and a blackberry, as much as my granny would kick my ass fer sayin’ so,” he said with a smirk. His greyscale gaze turned to look at the females at his side, “Rhaegara, Sága, whadya ladies think?” After all, this was a democracy.

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

Saga watched the exchange silently, her eyes falling on Riven and Hudson in equal measure. The boy, to his credit, held a much sought after skill, and displayed all of the manner's one might expect of someone approaching pack borders. While they were little more than a traveling band of wolves, the woman both recognized and appreciated the sentiment. On Hudson, she could only note that while he seemed to have been sort of thrust into some sort of leadership role, he was handling it well.

Upon Hudson's admittance that he wouldn't know a blackberry from nightshade, Saga felt a sarcastic grin creep it's way across her maw. While the various medical uses for plants weren't her forte, at the very least she could identify them. If they were still together come spring she would have to personally see to it that he was made aware of the difference, but with such an admission, she found herself a little more grateful that a healer had found his way to their group.

As the conversation continued, Saga found herself turning to Rhaegara. "I think it would be unwise to turn away a healer, but if you have any objections...?"

Sága is currently travelling with Huddy, Aubine, Adelard, Rhaegara, Riven, Maugrim & Hrun

Rhaegara listened to the interactions, taking note of everything. And yet, more importantly, she watched with incredible interest as the boy backed up a bit, his mannerisms and the timbre of his voice. She believed him, that he was a healer and that he was no threat to them. Surely no wolf was a threat to all of them at once, but she regarded both the boy and her original travelling companion with interest. She let a soft smile on her features as Adelard recounted how he had come across him, turning her head to Huddy as he spoke before direction found herself and Saga. The entire time she sat straight, stoic as she had learned all those moons ago. Be distant but not cold. Be polite, but not overly friendly. Do what was expected of you.

They all seemed in agreeance and she offered a curt and respectful nod of her head. “You’ll find no objections from me. I think he would be a fine addition to our group.” She wasn’t quite sure where she fit in exactly amongst these groups, whether she be a stray herself or something more, but she would never turn down another warm body to help keep food in their bellies, especially being a healer. He could tend to any wounds or sicknesses that they had the misfortune of coming across.